Christmas tree board



Filed May 23, 1934 lNvENoR ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 28, 1934 .UNITED .STATES Claims.

This inventionv relates to decorative devices, and more particularly, to a new .and improved Christmas tree board.

ists ofl cuttingdown a living tree ofsuitable size and bringing such into the house, Where. said tree is. decoratedwith ornaments of Various ldnds,

tinsel, multicolored lights, et cetera. Trees. suitable forthis purpose include the evergreen, various varietiesof r, pine, and spruce; and when utilizedinthe foregoing manner are commonly MIn order to-maintain such trees upright in the called .Christmastrees,A l

room where ,they are placed, a supporting stand `or holder is usually aixedto the trunk and basen ",othe treepsuch holders comprising a plurality of arms extendingat right angles tothe base .and

, detailhas been left largely to. chance, and in most ,cases represents a haphazard .and unsystematic` proposition, such decorations being `moved about at ,-will, and usually embodying little real beauty.

" Further, since, there is `usually, a constant dropping of withered leaves and twigs and other mat- 1 ter from the Christmas tree,it is important that f somemeansbe provided to catch such before they are deleterious to the premisesas when ground" 12 `into thezfloor lor floor covering, or tracked into.A other parts of. the house. i f An object ofv the present invention vide awdecorative boardforassociation `with a, Christmas tree, said board having both utilitarian and aesthetic advantages.` ``A further Objectis 4to provide f `that may be dispensedin a semicomp1etedform which enables the purchaser to exercise his own?, ingenuityaand tasteA iny completing the` artistic conception desired to be embodied in the finished;

. assembly. Another object is to prosuch `a board going` type that can be taken down each year and put up. thenext, in a diierent arrangement if` f desired, thus relieving' the monotonyiof having the same decorations each Christmas, yet providing. anreconomical decorationvin that it may be used many times. 50.-:y will catch the droppings from a Christmas tree,`

4Astillfurtherobject is to provide a device that iand thuspreventsuch fr-ombeing ground into the ',iroarpet orfloor of a room, as often ,happens in the lease of the conventional tree.`

These, and,..other.,objects made `apparent .l further strengthis wanted'.

` `to provide a board ofthe fore-11 ,w Inordeljthatsboard 1 0 may ,Strips 1,6 of cardboard,

(CII 4c-sii throughout the further progress of this specification are accomplished v,by means Qimmy Christmas tree board@ fulland complete' kinders/taed- `ing of which isxfmade possibleby reierenceto4 the drawing hereimin Whihi. Fig. 1 is 4a VView inperspectve of my device inN semi-oompleteform, associated with a Christmas tree; the various stages of assembly being clearly indicated "by -reading the drawing fromw leftV` to .right-.. .i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan View of one of the decorativeV strips dispensedvvith myV device, said strip simulating a hedge, n. Y

Fig. 3 Vis an endview of the strip illustratedin Fig-2., ,.f. .Y ,l lFig 4 `is a top plan view of another of the device said' decorative stripsl distributed Withiny strip representinga brickwall.` .Figwl' is a ,top plan,v view of still another decorative strip dispensed Withfmymdevice; said rvstrip ,repre` senting, ed stone` Wall;V the strips itratedin Fiss. 4 and@ beillssnllllarin Vsriifal cross-saction t'. thestrip'. .ShQivgmtFsf .2i Like numerals refer to corresponding, parts throughout the, figures of the dravving.'

. Referring nowlto thefdrawinghlig. 1, my in-m ventionwconsists of a board U10, preferably reci ,tangularbin ,Shana .and 0f@ Sizsoltsmplid G0 Mextend beyond the edges 9i the ,IQWelispfad 0f a 4tree llxvithwhich it uis, associated. Boardfl may ,be `out from heavyV cardboard, `orfjother suitable f. portion as `Sh0vm-beir1s in. the fQlm. Qfa` @05a in, keepingyvith the AChristmas motif.` If desired,

theedges ,of l() may be `reinforced aswbybradi'ng or othervvisefattaching a narrow Wooden stripf` 14 beneahlieguten` edges thereotwhh Strips may also. be lextended .Grossi-Ways, undergth board if.,

b e raised from the iloor to permit` pSSagQ Of electrio light cords thereundeig forpurposes explained in detail 'elsewhere herein, y said `boardis` provide@ at its `cor-` -lnersnand Velsewhere as desired, with blocks15, which bloclsmay be square in shape,- composed V `of Woodland of `a thicknessjsuficient Jto-raise 10 slightly' offthe flooror `the lroomfin` which it is placed. rSmalbbrads or glue have been roundv ,eflicacious in uniting jcorners `15 withwstrips 14 and the boardproperl.' i l i Wood, or other suitable material of a `selected Width andtrthickness and materiah such,- as, 4`forviiistance, any Aof the vvell provided with a rough nish, and colored green to resemble a hedge, are permanently attached to the outside edges of 10; while the edges of cross 12 may be likewise ornamented. Board 10 may be cut into two identical sections along line 17 (Fig. l), and joined when in operative position as by passing two or more short strips of cardboard at rightl angles to line 17 and securely anchoring the ends of such strips with thumbtacks.

A series of holes or perforations 18 may be provided at intervals in board 10; and the upper face of said board may be ruled with guide lines such as 19 and 19a, the purpose of which apertures and lines is made clear during the further progress of this specification.

I provide a series of strips 20 (Figs. 2 and 3), to be dispensed with the board described heretofore, said strips being fabricated of cardboard and/or other selected materials, and having an upper portion 21 of greater thickness but less width than the lower portion 22, which is preferably thin enough to permit the passage of a thumb-tack there-through without diiiiculty. The outer edges of 21 may be provided with a rough surface such as 21a, and colored green to resemble a hedge.

Strips similar to 20 may be appropriately marked to simulate other decorative elements, as, for instance, the brick Wall 20a illustrated in Fig. 4, the upper portion of which strip is colored red; and the stone wall 20h shown in Fig. 5, the upper portion of which strip is gray in color. Other artistic conceptions to be embodied in or upon strips of the general type of 20 will suggest themselves to those who are artistically inclined.

Strips 2O may be cut into uniform short lengths to be sold with the set, or they may be distributed in rather long sections, the party who sets up the board then cutting from these strips lengths suitable for the various elements of the design to be worked out. Y

In operation my device works as follows: The sections of board 10 are united as previously described herein (assuming that the board has been divided into more than one piece), the sections being assembled around the Christmas tree stand which, with the tree, has been previously set up. A plan of construction is then decided upon, the elaborateness of which may extend from a small group of houses with adjuncts, to a complete village depending upon the amount of material available and the wishes of the builder. The ground-work for the project is then laid by forming from proper sections of strips 20 the necessary hedges, walls, streets and the like, it being only necessary to select or cut the strip indicated by the plan, and then fasten such in place on the board by means of thumb-tacks. For instance, in the 'section indicated at B of Fig. v1, the setting for a house hasV been laid, hedge strips 20 being held in place by thumbtacks 23, providing picturesque surroundings for a miniature dwelling. In section C of the figure, a house 24 has been installed in a like setting, this portion of the drawing illustrating a completed area of the board. Imitation snow, green saw-dust, or sand may be sprinkled over the bottom portions 22 and thumb-tacks 23 of the strips to conceal said Aportions and provide a finished appearance to the whole.

It is not intended that houses such as 24 shall necessarily be sold as a part of the instant Christmas tree board, miniature dwellings of this type, or other desired structures, being easy of procurement, particularly at department stores during the Christmas season.

'I'he windows of house 24 are preferably transparent, and within the structure is placed an electric light bulb supplied with current from a cord passed through an aperture such as 18. The cord supplying current to the Christmas tree proper may be passed under board 10, out through opening 12, and hence to the tree.

Section A of Fig. l, is representative of the board in its incomplete state, ready, however, to be assembled as described.

Guide lines 19 and 19d, which are drawn on the square, are provided to furnish a straight edge for building and lining up the houses, hedges, walls and other elements upon the board, their presence facilitating accurate construction without eXtensive additional mathematical computation.

When completely assembled, my Christmas tree board presents a beautiful and inspiring sight, and adds tremendously to the effectiveness of the Christmas decorations. Adults and children may spend many delightful hours in planning and constructing the Christmas village; and each year the plan may be a new one. In addition, the device performs a useful function in catching whatever may drop from the tree during the holiday season, thus conserving the permanent household. It is likewise apparent that my device is a simple, economical, and practical one, and that it represents a unique contribution to the decorative arts.

While I have described in detail herein a preferred form of my invention, it isA to be noted that certain modifications, changes, additions and omissions may be resorted to, particularly in regard to strips 20, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A device of the class described, comprising a rectangular board of suitable dimensions, a central opening in said board, a raised decorative border around the upper edge of said opening, a series of smaller apertures in said board, a raised decorative border around the outside of said board, said border being colored to simulate a hedge; reinforcing strips around the lower outside edges of said board, means spacing said board from the .door of a room in which it is placed, guide lines on the face of the board, and detachable strips fastened to the upper surface of said board, said strips simulating hedges, brick walls, stone walls, and the like.

2. A device of the class described comprising a rectangular board of suitable dimensions, a central opening in said board, a raised decorative border around the upper edges of said opening, a series of smaller openings in said board, a raised decorative border around the outside edges of said board, reinforcing strips around the lower outside edges of the board, means spacing said board from the floor of a room, and detachable strips fastened to the upper plane surface of said board in such a manner as to simulate hedges, walls, and the like.

3. A Christmas tree board comprising a board of suitable dimensions, a centralopening in said board, a raised decorative border around the upper edge of said opening, a series of smaller apertures in said board, means spacing said board from the floor of a room', and detachable strips fastened to the upper plane surface of said board, said strips simulating hedges, walls, and the like.

4. A device of the class described comprising a thin board presenting a plane surface of greater dimensions than the lower spread of a tree with Which the board is contemplated to be associated, a central opening in said board to receive a stand, a series of smaller openings in said board, a raised decorative border around the outside edges of said board, means spacing the board from the floor of a room, and detachable strips fastened to the upper plane surface of said board, said strips simulating hedges and the like.

5. A device of the class described comprising a thin board having a plane surface of greater extent than the lower spread of a tree with which the device is intended to be associated, a central opening in said board, a series of smaller openings in the board between said central opening and the edges of the board, means to space the board from the oor of a room in which it is placed, and detachable strips fastened to the upper surface of said board, said strips simulating details of landscape.

6. A Christmas tree board comprising a thin board having a plane surface of considerably greater extent than the lower spread of a tree with which the device is associated, a central opening in said board, a raised decorative border around the edges of said opening, a raised decorative border around the upper outside edges of said board, and detachable strips fastened to the upper surface of the board, said strips simulating architectural details.

7. A Christmas tree board comprising a thin board having a plane surface of greater extent than the spread of a tree with which the device is associated, a series of openings in said board,

a raised decorative border around the outside edges of the board, means spacing said board from the fioor of a room, and detachable strips fastened to the upper plane surface of said board, said strips simulating hedges and the like.

8. A Christmas tree board comprising a thin board of suitable dimensions, a central opening in said board, a raised decorative border around the upper edges of said opening, reinforcing strips around the lower outside edges of said board, means spacing the board from the floor of a room in which it is situated, and detachable strips fastened to the upper plane surface of said board, said strips simulating hedges, Walls, and the like.

9. A Christmas tree board comprising a thin board of suitable dimensions, a central opening in said board, a series of smaller openings disposed about said central opening, a raised decorative border around the upper outside edges of the board, means spacing the board from the floor of a room, guide lines on the face of the board, and detachable decorative strips fastened to the upper surface of the board, said strips simulating details of landscape and architecture.

10. A Christmas tree board comprising a thin board of suitable dimensions, a central opening in said board, a series of smaller openings disposed about said central opening, a raised decorative border around the upper outside edges of the board, means spacing the board from the floor of a room, and detachable decorative strips anchored to the upper face of the board, said strips simulating details of architecture and landscape.

REUBEN F. KIDWELL. 

